Water

Water shortages and problems around Minnesota — and the country — have many wondering what is the true cost of clean and reliable water. This reporting is supported in part by The Water Main, a project of American Public Media.

Next 5 years: No new federal oil, gas leases in Arctic Ocean
The Obama administration has removed Arctic locations from planned oil and gas leases for the next 5 years. Ten of the 11 approved lease areas are in the Gulf of Mexico.
Protesters rally against Dakota Access Pipeline in Duluth, St. Paul
The rallies are among more than 300 across the country, asking that the federal government reject final permits for the controversial oil pipeline that has generated months of Native American protests in the Dakotas.
Heavy rains left southern MN rivers polluted. How can we fix that?
Late September rain storms pushed millions of pounds of dirt into southern Minnesota rivers, but experts don't exactly agree on the cause or a solution.
How is a 1,600-year-old tree weathering California's drought?
Four years of too little water is killing millions of trees in the Sierra, yet some giant sequoias still thrive. Tree-climbing scientists are exploring sequoias branch by branch to find their secret.
Climate Cast: Solutions to America's water crisis
Which cities and which corporations are stepping up their water conservation?
Settlement deal reached in 2014 West Virginia chemical spill
Residents affected by a leak of coal-washing chemical into the Elk River reached a deal with a chemical company. A class action suit against a water company was set to move forward in federal court.
California's dire drought message wanes, conservation levels drop
Californians are saving less and less water as the state enters what may be its sixth year of drought, in part because they say they're hearing a less-than-clear message about the drought.
How a far-sighted Minnesota scientist pointed America toward the future
The National Sea Grant Program, which turns 50 years old this month, is the brainchild of a former University of Minnesota Dean who also proposed a domed experimental city in Aitkin County and wrote a famous comic strip.